Thule Albany Urban Downhill

Known to be the first of its kind in Australia and modeled on the shorter Littleton Urban Downhill in New Zealand,A� The Thule Albany Urban Downhill didna��t disappoint.

With a field of over 80 riders from all over the State including top names like Sam Hill and young gun Jackson Davis over from Melbourne and a host of top local riders it was shaping up to be a top class event.A� With a pre-race event on the Saturday evening, a Whip comp off of the finishing ramp next to the Albany Entertainment Centre, the weather did everything it could to try and put an end to proceedings but whatever ever it threw at the organisers a�� they threw it right back, and the crowds – well into the hundreds turned up and braved the conditions to watch the show late into the cold, wet evening.

The Whip Comp went ahead into driving rain and howling winds with a gutsy field of just 13 riders judged by Sam Hill and Jackson Davis. A couple of riders bit the dirt and left one, Jordan Prochyra with a pretzel for a front wheel! Byford local Michael Logan took out the comp and a winnera��s cheque for $500 to boot.

Saturdays off-road only practice session was delayed slightly due to last minute track tweaks but eventually got under-way and only a few riders managed to get to the bottom before the rain fell again, and did so for the rest of the day.A� It put paid to my photography but didna��t wipe the smiles from the riders faces who reveled in shuttles back to the cloud covered summit for the next couple of hours to test their mettle.

A group of tireless organisers, in the meantime set about placing the street features in readiness for A�Sundaya��s 9.00am road closures.

For the Sunday premiere Urban event, the final course preparations began early with ramps put in place in front and after the containers, and a number of wall rides at tight road intersections.A� A car jump on final stretch shot the riders into a ramp up and onto a container with purpose built stairs down the other side next to Dylans Cafe on the Terrace with welcome hot coffee’s!A� The container also allowed spectators to pass underneath though the container itself.A� Novel and awesome all at the same time.

The winds howled as a storm front passed over the Town for seemed like eternity and it once again was casting some serious doubt over the event going ahead.A� Strong winds and container jumps dona��t mix and to add to the issues, crowd control barriers were falling like flies!A� The only major change in proceedings was the course being shortened by a few hundred meters so that riders did not have to cross the narrow over-pass back to the event village into the head on wind whipped up from the South and over Princess Royal Harbour.A� It also meant not getting blown off course on the final jump!

In the scheme of things it was a minor set-back which no doubt stressed the already nervous organisers, but the street section practice went ahead… and the crowds gathered a�� thousands of them.A� The word was out and so were the locals in Kagools, beanies and scarves who mingled among the hardcore downhill fans with their Cowbells and A�chants of a�?pedal pedal pedala�? and other classic DH heckles!A� Some A�riders sessioned the trickier features and others just blazed on through.

After sorting a few minor safety issues the seeding runs commenced and some fast times started to appear on the clock.

Just after 3pm the race commissaire sent the seeded riders down on their final run from the start at Padre White Lookout on Mt Clarence through the off-road section, sure to impress any Downhill addict – covering a mix of single-track, rocky technical stuff and slippery-when-wet open granite such as the Solar Roller which afforded sweeping views of the town, and a glimpse from on high of the first feature a hundred or so meters below, a wall ride out onto the only uphill black-top pedal before heading down to ramps-a-plenty.A� Not that anyone had time to look up.

The crowds had reportedly swelled to in excess of 5,000 people – mainly locals of all ages who whooped and cheered as the gap jumps, hucks and containers never failed to impress, nor did the stacks-a-plenty.

I parked myself at the finish line and pointed my lens at the purpose built stairs to watch the riders descend into the Thule banner clad finish area for the last time.A� One by one they came down and gathered to watch as their set times were eroded little by little as the faster seeded riders popped up the ramp onto the container which doubled as a pedestrian thoroughfare, and shelter underneath.

There was a heart stopping moment as Downhill legend Sam Hill who had seeded third emerged up the ramp obviously pushing hard and clipped the handrail as he tipped over the threshold and down the stairs sending him way off balance.A� At the bottom of the stairs, Hill had almost lost the bike completely but quickly regained his composure to lurch the final 4 or 5 meters over the timing mat with the days fastest time.

In doing so, the introspect Hill recorded a time, at just over 4 minutes (and 9 seconds ahead of 2nd place) that was ultimately to give him victory at the first ever Australian Urban Downhill.A� Shane Wode took second place ahead of Jimmy Pritchard who stole that last podium spot.A� Jackson Davis a mere 3 seconds off the pace to finish just off the podium in fourth.A� It did however earn him the fastest under 19 time.

As race director Dave Marshall commented at the closing of the event, addressing the riders, volunteers and spectators alike;A� “today you were a part of history”.A� To some in may sound trite – but it’s a fact.

This WAS the first ever event of its kind in Australia.A� It was version 1.0, it had its glitches but it was a success – a HUGE success.A� In fact it was awesome.

A huge thanks to Dave Marshall, Paul Fage and Adam Halsall and the rest of the surprisingly small Albany Downhill Mountain Bike Club for making me and thousands of others welcome at this inaugural event.

Here’s to Version 2.0 (and warmer weather!).A� Bring it on!

 

Images & report: Jon Lloyd : Photo Creative give them a like on Facebook hereA�or head over toA�www.jlphotocreative.com

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